Tag Archives: pulp comics

In this weeks episode I will be discussing a recently published comic book that was promoted as having some pulp themes. The title of this particular issue is The Multiversity: The Society of Superheroes: Conquerors from the Counter-World. It was written by Grant Morrison and penciled by Chris Sprouse, and published by DC Comics. This issue is part of what is called the Multiversity Project, it is a limited series made up of different one shot issues, with two bookends. The Multiversity carries on the tradition of Crisis On Infinite Earths, and deals with the Post New 52 DC Multiverse. It also fits into Grant Morrison’s larger body of work within the DC Universe itself. This particular world, Earth-20 is done in a pulp style.

D.L. was kind enough to answer some questions about Legends of Log and the Kickstarter campgain for the Giant Size 2015 annual. We also discuss some of his influences.

PC: So what’s the deal with Legends of Log? Did you receive some type of prophetic vision of Guardians of the Galaxy hitting big, and then proceeded to create your own wood-based hero to rival the great Groot? Seriously, where did you come up with such a crazy concept of a giant log with an ax? How would you describe the character?

Log doesn’t compare to the great Groot, but the mighty Log does have his advantages. He carries a giant ax. So If they were to do battle, I’m pretty sure Log would be doing some heavy swinging.

As for the idea, I came up with the concept of Log and his legends from a comic strip that I’ve been drawing since 2010. In the comic strip is a humorous talking log. He doesn’t carry an ax or anything like that. He’s just there to take the brunt of the jokes and punchlines tossed at him.

Anyhow, In 2012, I imagined taking this character I had been drawing and changing him into a bigger and stronger log. A log that carried an ax and lived back in the days of the dark age. And is he big! He’s a giant compared to humans. I would describe him as the strong silent type. But when he gets mad, watch out!

PC: I’m getting a big sword and sorcery vibe from these Legends of Log images. Do you have any favorite pulp characters or creators that may have influenced your work with Legends of Log?

Log is mostly inspired by Conan the Barbarian books and comics. Along with others like Thongor, Brak the Barbarian, Kull the Destroyer and all those other types of characters. I read a lot of paperback books of sword and sorcery when I was a kid. From all the famous fantasy authors like Lin Carter, Andrew Oufftt, Michael Moorcock, Jack Vance, John Jakes, Fritz Leiber and of course, Robert E. Howard.

PC: Tell us a little bit about the world Legends of Log takes place in.

Log’s world is not that big. It’s mostly the size of a very large island with a lot of UN-known lands beyond that. Which makes it nice to expand if I ever decide to make Log’s world bigger. But right now it consist of the North Woods – where Log lives. The South Woods – where the angry Ax men hold a grudge. The Dark Woods – where warlocks and sorcerers conjure up dark magic. The Sea of Oceans, – where Mermaids and giant Krakens dwell. The Wildlands – a savage jungle that is lost in time, and the Outlands. – where beast and creatures roam. All these places are covered by the dark gloom of dark spells and sorcery created within the Dark Woods. And it’s are all after one thing. A living breathing giant chunk of wood called Log.

PC: For those of us who haven’t read Legends of Log before, how would you describe the tone of the series? Is it straight sword and sorcery? Is there any comedy?

Although 90 percent of it is sword and sorcery. I did throw in some savage jungle girl stories where Log meets a girl named Corra from the Wildlands.As for comedy, well… I think the fact that since Log is a log and he carries an ax and yells, “TIMBERRRRR!” May say it all.

PC: I took a look around your website and saw that you have produced three comics and two prose books pertaining to Legends of Log so far. Does the Legends of Log Giant Size 2015 Annual include all new material?

The book does include new material including three stories from the previous mini comics.

PC: Are there multiple tales in the annual? Are the stories in the annual self-contained? Do readers need to pick up past issues or books or can we jump right in here?

There are ten tales all together and they are all self-contained. The reader doesn’t have to read any other previous books or comics to enjoy the stories. But some of the stories do give hints and clues to a bigger story that will eventually happen to the mighty Log. And I can’t wait to tell that story. But it won’t happen till we get further down the road with the annuals.

PC: The Kickstarter campaign for the Legends of Log Giant Size 2014 Annual is underway and will be active until October 6, 2014. I see you have a variety of tiers, from a price friendly PDF of the issue to some higher tiers, where a limited number of backers get to take part in the comics creation. I think there is a tier there for everybody who is interested in a fun sword & sorcery book. Do you have anything to say in closing to prospective backers out there who are fans of pulp and sword & sorcery?

I’m a big fan of the pulp era and of sword & sorcery. The whole Legends of Log book is based on action and adventure. And although it may have a small extra punch of humor that you may not find in your normal S&S. I really think you might get a kick out of this book. I mean come-on, A log with an ax? What could be funner than that.

In this weeks episode I will be discussing Bigfoot Sword of the Earthman, a six issue comic book mini series published by BrewHouse Comics. The comic is written by Josh S. Henaman with line art by Andy Taylor and colors by Thomas Bonvillain. The first issue came out in November 2012 and the sixth issue was recently published in August 2014. This is a sword and planet as well as a sword and sorcery comic. It’s very much in the vein of Edgar Rice Burroughs and Robert E. Howard. One of the tag lines I saw floating around in the promotional materials was Sword, Sorcery and Sasquatch.

The premise of the book is that a group of mages on Mars summoned Bigfoot to the Red Planet from Earth. The mute brute is enslaved at first, but later escapes. His tag-along/partner is Castor, a member of the scribe caste elite. They seem to be the bards and storytellers of Mars. He sees Bigfoot, (who is known only as the Earthman among the inhabiatants of Mars), as his meal ticket. However things don’t go according to plan, Mars is ruled by a heavy handed tyrant named Lord Jeoffa. Doing Lord Jeoffa’s dirty work is my favorite character of the series, Korovan Muspin, a red skinned reptilian barbarian who is more than a physical match with the Earthman. There is a really cool four page origin story for Muspin in the final four pages of issue #1, that puts a unique spin on what goes on in a Martian Rookery.

In this weeks episode I will be discussing The Shadow #0 published by Dynamite Entertainment. This issue came into comic shops this week and features The Shadow training with Harry Houdini. The issue is written by Cullen Bunn and illustrated by Colton Worley. Marc Rueda provided the colors and Rob Steen was the letterer.

The issue takes place in two separate time periods. One portion is set in New York City in 1925 with Lamont Cranston being trained in the art of escape by Harry Houdini. Another portion takes place in Los Angeles in 1936 with The Shadow venturing into the lair of the Society of United Magicians to save Houdini’s kidnapped widow, Bess. Combining The Shadow and Houdini is a great idea. Walter Gibson, the creator of the pulp Shadow was a magician himself and ghost wrote for Houdini. Houdini himself was also a credited pulp writer. He is credited for writing the story Under the Pyramids for the 50th Anniversary issue of Weird Tales. In reality this was ghost written by H.P. Lovecraft based on an idea by Houdini.

In this weeks episode I will be discussing Ignition City. It is a alternate history science fiction comic book mini series that was published in 2009 by Avatar Press. The five issue mini series was written by Warren Ellis, illustrated by Gianluca Pagliarani, inked by Chris Dier and colored by Digikore Studios. The series is also available in trade paperback, hardcover or digital.

The series is set in 1956, in Ignition City, the last space port on Earth on an island located along the equator. Pulp fans will be interested in the series due to the cast being analogues of the great science fiction characters of yesterday. Analogues for Flash Gordon, Dale Arden, Doctor Hans Zarkov and Ming the Merciless are present, as well as Buck Rogers, an antagonist wearing Commando Cody’s rocket pack and helmet, and a former Lensman

There are also real life characters such as Lionel Kenneth Crabb, also known as Buster. Also making an appearance is Yuri Gagarin.

Despite many intergalactic adventures in the past, in this series personal spaceflight is starting to become outlawed by governments all over the world. Ignition City is the final haven for the space faring heroes of the 30s and 40s. Think of Ignition City as Deadwood, but populated by classic science fiction characters who all have their best years behind them. The star of the series is Mary Raven, the daughter of famed pilot Rock Raven who seems to be based on British Science Fiction hero Dan Dare. She travels to Ignition City to investigate her fathers recent death. She is a pilot herself and slings a mean ray gun. She is the POV character you experience Ignition City through.

In this episode I will be discussing Half Past Danger by Stephen Mooney. It’s comic book mini series published by IDW done in the style of classic pulps and cliffhanger serials of the 30’s and 40’s. The series is a period piece taking place in 1943 and it features many elements that pulp fans will find attractive.

In this episode I discuss The Shadow/Green Hornet: Dark Nights mini series written by Michael Uslan and illustrated by Keith Burns. Dark Nights is a five issue mini series that was published by Dynamite Entertainment in 2013. It’s an exciting blend of history and pulp fiction featuring the Shadow, Green Hornet and Kato, as well as their respective casts of supporting characters.

In this episode I discuss The Black Beetle: No Way Out by Franceso Francavilla. The first story line has just been released in a hardcover collection from Dark Horse Comics. The series is in the tradition of the pulp heroes and strange detectives of the 1930’s and 40’s. The new series, The Black Beetle: The Necrologue is due out at the end of November 2013.